The Official Newsletter of Camp Towanda, Honesdale PAFor Boys & Girls - Established 1923

Nestled in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains Directors: Mitch and Stephanie Reiter

700 Niles Pond Rd., Honesdale, PA 18431-6537 Summer Tel: 570-253-3266 Fax: 570-253-6334Winter Tel: 845-639-4582 Fax: 845-638-2194

www.camptowanda.com info@camptowanda.com

©2012 Camp Towanda, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing can be reproduced or used without permission.

TOWANDA

OU R 9 0 t h Y E A R

Vol. 90 No. 8 “Bonded with YOU in 20 - 1 -Two!” ©2012Summer

We had such a great time with YOU in 20-1-Two!! It was only seven short weeks ago that all of the campers returned to their summer home and we were all greeting by smiles and sunshine...lots of sunshine! So many great things happened this summer; the National Circus came to Towanda, Bellizone and Berke were elected presidents, Cartoon Dorm took the Girls’ Sing title, trips to Montreal, Boston and Toronto and of course, Olympics! There are many traditions at camp and this year we celebrated our 20th year announcing lunch with the playing of American Pie! What better way to start Olympics than singing “Bye, bye Miss American Pie”! What a show!Camp Towanda is a very special place where it doesn’t take long for new friends to be walking hand in hand and old friends to forget the long winter months that seperate us. Many a camper has been heard saying that at camp we live ten months for two, and as we end another fantastic summer its clear why. Each of you probably have an enormous box filled with memories of this and every summer spent at Towanda. Carry that box carefully. Open it often to remind yourself of the

games you’ve played, the people you’ve met and the times you’ve spent at Camp Towanda. There are few places left where the currency of life is happiness. Smiles are free and laughter is abundant. This summer has certainly proved that Towanda is the place to be. It may seem like the journey for Deb or Jet to Dorm or Club is a long one, but ask any Dorm or Club member and they will tell you it flies by in a flash. Remember to slow down,

don’t sweat the small stuff and take it all in. Treasure every bump in the windy dirt road as you head home, because it will also be the road that brings you back to Towanda for the summer of 2012.

It was Great seeing YOU in 20-1-2!

Check out all the Olympic Highlights on Pages 4 and 5!Can you tell who is who in our Towanda Twins segment!? Page 2!Keep up to date with Camp 365 days a year! Find out how! Page 7!

TOWANDA TWINS!!!They say if you spend enough time with someone, you start to look like them!

Well that definitely seems to be true at Camp! Check out all these Twins! Can you figure out who is who!? Fill in the blanks with the correct answer!

1.

5.

9. 10. 11. 12.

13.

6. 7. 8.

2.

3.

4.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

R.L.

Which person is on the Left? and which person is on the Right?1. Emma Leispner and Olivia Plotnek2. Hannah Seley and Ally Botwinick3. Bella Messer and Madison Mariam4. Daniel Marrugo and Dillon Weinberg5. Lisa Lesnick and Steph Moniz6. Caroline Lerche and Amanda Breit7. Shelby Rosen and Serena Golden8. Jordan Silverberg and Hannah Lyons9. Ari Zebersky and Cayden Payones10. Blake Axelrod and Griffin Lanel11. Ethan Ricahrd and Matt Chaikin12. Derrick Cohen and Jonah Grossman 1. Emma Leispner and Olivia Plotnek

2. Ally Botwinick and Hannah Seley3. Madison Mariam and Bella Messer4. Daniel Marrugo and Dillon Weinberg5. Steph Moniz and Lisa Lesnick6. Amanda Breit and Caroline Lerche7. Shelby Rosen and Serena Golden8. Jordan Silverberg and Hannah Lyons9. Cayden Payones and Ari Zebersky 10. Blake Axelrod and Griffin Lanel11. Matt Chaikin and Ethan Ricahrd12. Jonah Grossman and Derrick Cohen

Every year the Club uses their creative powers to create Fake Outs that would trick even the best Olympians! First, in honor of the new Gymnastics facility and after a fantastic Gymnastics halftime show during the All Star Staff Basketball Game, we were tricked into believing we were either Red Acrobats or Blue Gymnasts. Next, during free play Bob’s voice came booming over the PA to tell us war had erupted between the Red Olympus and Blue Atlantis; which team would you be!? Finally, as everyone patiently waited for breakfast a limo appeared around the corner of the mess hall and the Red Hollywood vs the Blue Broadway emerged! All of the excitement left us eager for the real thing! Congratulation on all the fakeouts! Well done Club of 2012!

Is there anybody...FAKE OUT!

Airbands is always a favorite event at camp! Each performance chooses a song or a series of songs and performs a lip-sync! Memorable moments this year included a medley of commercial jingles by the Inter girls, LITs leading a variety of ages as they build a home to the song Our House, Club and Dorm both performed memorable medley’s and everyone involved did a great job! Inter Boys took the win with a medley dedicated to movie music! The Club medley was particularly memorable as it ended with a tribute to American Pie which was this year’s Guiness Record and segments have also been

reshot throughout the last few weeks of camp. In fact, Airbands concluded with all of camp singing American Pie! It was a great way to end Airbands and a great way to start.......See Page 4!

AIRBANDS

This year all of camp was involved in the play Hairspray! Everyone involved did a great job! In fact, all of the plays this year were great! Well done everyone involved!

We did it for the Guiness World Record, singing “Bye Bye Miss American Pie!” It was so much fun that we started doing it again! Small segments of the song were recorded all over camp with all different ages groups. Whenever we gathered together, flags were handed out and the chorus was sung...”Bye Bye Miss American Pie”...Even the parents got invovled

at Visiting Day singing before the charge of the light brigade. 40 Years ago Don Mclean released American Pie; the meaning of which has been debated in music circles ever since. However, for 20 years at Camp Towanda American Pie has always meant one thing, lunch! But after this year, it also reminds us all of the fantastic breakout for Olympics

2012! The flags were swinging back and forth, stars and stripes beach balls were bouncing around the crowd, and giant blown up Uncle Sams and cut outs of the Statue of

Liberty swayed behind the crowd. As we finished the now unforgettable lyrics, confetti exploded from the new light

tower and fireworks burst in the air! This is it, Towanda! Olympics 2012!

Singing Bye Bye

Miss American Pie

BREAKOUT!

RED JESTERS GeneralsJake “Marbles” Manela Lindsay AltmanJacey Naccarella Melanie BuckJared Reiter Dana Krause Camper CaptainsZach Chaikin Amanda BreitJacob Gubner Jordyn SalmHenry Russnow Sydney Wolin LieutenantsJake ‘SR’ Levy Lauren DavisGriffin Weber Michelle Feigenbaum SergeantsAdam Sharaf Sydney Axelrod Nicole Salm

BLUE ROYALTY GeneralsJay Fray Jill GittlemanJonathan Penner Stephanie SimonBrett Spivack Ali Spiesman Camper CaptainsRobbie April Meryl GoldbergTyler Bolog Jordy MoskowitzReed Wallach Elysa Zebersky LieutenantsSam Davidovich Sammi BrownJonathan ‘NJ’ Heller Shelby Merberg SergeantsJosh Miller Margo Fleishman Rachel Holtz

OLYMPICS 2012

OLYMPICS 2012

Day 1 of Olympics was off to a spirited start! The Debs/Dillies, Middies, Juniors, co-ed LITs and Counselors (and Casper) all had the privilege of playing GHOST on Day 1! Mitch is holding court there with his expert team of Judgies and is in his glory! Activities on the girls side included Tweens Newcombe, the Junior/Inter Girls and Dorm soccer, Senior girls volleyball and National girl softball. The boys stayed busy with Jet and Cadet Gaga, Club and LIT Volleyball, and National and Senior boys football. It was a full day of activities, rest hour tennis matches and the beginning of wood collecting for rope burning. The evening was filled with Tug-O-War on the soccer pitch. Both teams pulled their hardest, included the Judgies who went up against the Generals, CCs, Lieutenants and Sergeants. Day 2 started with the Girls hitting the track. It was a hot day but thanks to frequent water breaks both teams finished races in record times! While the girls ran the Jets and Cadets hit the basketball court, Middies played soccer and the LITs played an epic football game! In the afternoon the boys cooled off in the pool while their races heated up! Debs and Dillies played kick ball, Tweens basketball took over the courts and Inters and Nats battled it out in Ghost. The evening activity was Knock Out followed by counselor soccer and the KMP played Ultimate Frisbee! Everyone got involved! By the end of the day only 6 points separated the 2 teams.Day 3 saw the boys switch to the track for the morning and the girls jump in the pool for the swim meet but the days big event was Rope Burning. Every year the Club boys look forward to Rope Burning as an event they have grown up watching and waiting for. This year’s event was epic. The sun had shone all week and the wood was dry. It only took minutes for the flames to start building. Both teams worked feverishly to burn their ropes, with the Red team burning their first rope in near record time. Within 16 minutes it was all over and all the Ropes had been burnt on both sides, first by Red and then by Blue.Day 4 Apache was the main event! After a morning of sports activities, everyone was assigned their challenge and number and campers spread out across campus to prepare! Mitch blew the horn at the dinner bell and Apache started! We went from the flag pole, to girls camp, the soccer field to fieldhouse and new this year Apache events in Gymnastics! There were events on the Infirmary lawn, included dizzy bats and pogo sticks. Canteen featured nail polish and whistling while chewing crackers and finally we all headed down to the water front. Sunken canoes were a theme for the day as both teams had to drag their canoes from the lack to empty them of water. Then of course there was the actual sunken canoe race; always a favorite! Finally the water brigade finished it off and despite both teams taking the lead at different times, Red came out with the win.Day 5 After finishing up a few last games, it was down to the business of sing. The team shirts were handed out, motivational cheers rang through the dinning hall and then it was down to the Fieldhouse for the final event. The scenery was fantastic! The plaques were incredible and everyone sang as if winning Olympics depended on it..because it did! The teams were separated by mere points before sing. Finally the Judgies were ready to announce the winner of sing...Blue! and then the winner of Olympics was announced......The winners...of Olympics....2012......the Red Jesters!

The end is near

Dorm twenty twelve forever And I won’t let you go

I need you to know That you’re in my heart forever

and on and on and on And we’ll go on and on and on

For better or for worse No matter how it hurts

You’ve got me to hold your hand I promise I’ll be there

No matter where we go Or what the future holds

Don’t wanna blink my eyes Don’t wanna miss a thing

Fate has brought us here The end is near

Dorm Twenty Twelve Forever And I won’t let you go

I need you to know That you’re in my heart

forever

And on and on and on... And we’ll go on and on and

on...

Each year the Dorm girls rewrite the words to a song to reflect how they feel and the experiences they have shared over their years at Camp Towanda. Here is an exerpt from

the Alma Mater by the Cartoon Dorm of 2012!(sung to the song I Can’t Wait)

Whats better then Horse Racing!? Horse Racing in the rain! Thanks to the Dorm girls who kept us all

entertained even when it rained! P.S. there are no actual horses involved in Horse Racing...its a

basketball competition!

Horse Racing

Congrats to the Club of 2012 who were the recipients of this year’s Leadership Award!

Incredible Club

All Star BasketballThe staff put on a fantastic All Star Basketball game! There were trick shots and crazy dribbling talents and even a basket or two! The crowd joined in cheering and for the occasional dance break! There was even a fantastic Gymnastics half time show!

Steph and her crew, Tris Stafford and Ash Corah, proudly display the latest stick

sculpture! The bear now proudly stands next to the newest TeePee in front of Maintenance! But the question on everyone’s mind is “Does

he have a name!?” Let us know if you have a suggestion and check him out next time

you’re at camp! Fall foliage BBQ anyone?!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!August 2: Mateusz Dyrda; 3:Austin Slater; 4:Jessica Dean, Steven Frydman, Greg Samus; 5:Jay Fray Frazier, Gregg Galezowski, Katalin Torma; 7:Harrison Weber; 9:Nate Scavron; 11:Celena Cordova, Maya Gross; 12:Jessie April, Ethan Denenberg; 13: Persi Gutierrez; 14: Sami Rosenberg, David Kavar; 16: Jozsef Simeta, Linda Anderson; 17: Peter Bodo, Tyler Bolog, Andy Imaz, Sam Keller, Rocio Ruiz; 18: Lucie Zeinerova; 20: Phoebe Aaron, Francine Klarsfeld, Melissa Ilgner; 21: Hailey Bergman, Aiden Neidoff, Caden Payones, Hayley Trichon, Heather Keaty; 22: Gabriela Ludwiczak; 23: Ilana Nemerow, Ava Schneider, Emily Schwartz, Evan Seiden, Lauren Pecoraro; 24: Evan Lang, Griffin Weber, Kaitlyn Walbridge; 26: Josh Miller, Jordy Moskowitz, Nicole Webb; 27: Kyle Levy, Issac Hall; 28: Drew Botwinick, Avery Matilsky; 29: Emery Jochnau, Zach Brown; 30: Michael Mariam; 31:Alana Hassan

September 1: Matt Stern; 2: Alyssa Delott, Ben Ostrow; 3: Zoey Seitzman; 4:Jackie Swendsen; 5: Aaron Kargman, Nikki Schachtel; 8:Tiffany Daubert, Chris Hale; 9: Courtney Breit; 10: Brian Notarangelo; 11: Jake Brett, Jeffery Lowell; 12: Andrew Epstein, Dylan Jaffe; 13: Heather Ginsburg; 14: Zoe Birnbaum, Dylan Tish, Chris Hewitt; 15:Alex Grow, Julius Sokol; 16: Matt Parry; 17: Griffin Lanel, Lenka Trcalkova; 18:Steve Hassett; 19:Michael Chambers, Terry Schrager; 20: Riley Kurzer, Mitch Sloane; 22:Zachary Alexander; 23: Jonah Gelfand 24: Barrett Abramowitz, Jared Levy, Madison Mariam, Sam Perel, Liam Healey, Riley Kerz; 26: Alex Cohen, Ally Friedman, Alex Kornfeld, Evan Lapidus, Jake “SR” Levy, Shelby Merberg; 27:Brianna Hoffman; 28: Robbie April, Liza Goldstone, Jonah Grossman, Sam Ross; September 30: Morgan Cohen, Liz Bonfanti

A special thank you to all those Alumni who were able to act as Judgies for this year’s Olympics! We appreciate everything you do during the 5 days of competition and hope to see you again next year!

Judgies in Black!

Camp Towanda 365 Days a Year!

Thanks to those who followed us throughout the summer! Our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts have been a

tremendous hit! Keep in touch, connect with your camp friends and get the

latest scoop straight from camp all year round!!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Our Blog, Pinterest, YouTube and Vimeo!Rewind and check out all our posts and FNF episodes from the Summer of 2012! Share with us your news, mini-reunions and adventures (wearing a Camp Towanda t-shirt of course!)!Take a Virtual Tour on our website and feel like you are literally back at camp!And stay tuned this fall for our updated website, filled with amazing pics from the 2012 summer!

The trips this year were a great success! The Club and Dorm went to Boston, LITs experience Niagara Falls and Toronto and the Seniors had a great time in Montreal! They even went Jet Boating! Check it out!